Step 1

Pour the beans into a large dutch oven and sort through them, removing any dirt, debris, or bad beans. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Cover the dutch oven with a lid, and let the beans soak overnight (8 hours).

Step 2

After the beans have finished soaking, drain them through a colander to remove the excess water, and dry the pot.

Step 3

Heat the dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and let it melt. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the minced garlic, thyme, and parsley, and saute until aromatic (about 1 minute).

Step 4

Add the beans and ham to the dutch oven. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and water (see notes)*, then stir together.

Step 5

Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat back down to low and simmer, covered, for 3-6 hours. (The time depends on how soft and creamy you like the texture to be. I like them really creamy, so I cook them for 6 hours.)**